New Releases for May 17, 2019

Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent is 22-year-old Scottish singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi’s debut album. Recorded over an 18-month period in London, New York and Los Angeles, Capaldi co-wrote each of the 12 songs, working with Malay who also produced, (Frank Ocean, Lorde) Jamie Hartman (Calvin Harris, Rag N Bone Man) and TMS. Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent is an ironically titled, but charismatically defining album that’s lyrically candid and a realistic snapshot of the ups and downs of growing up. Lewis’ stunningly identifiable voice, coupled with its turbulent themes of love, loss and heartache, make it a debut album that is both poignant and unequivocally relatable. TIME proclaims, “Lewis Capaldi has the kind of deep, textured voice that you could listen to for hours. He finds expressive rough edges, then smooths them out into the sweetest of notes.”

Full Of Hell – Weeping Choir CD/LP (Relapse)

Dynamic, pissed, and wholly urgent, Weeping Choir is a definitive statement of intent by one of the underground’s most dynamic and virulent entities. Full Of Hell has once again culled the extreme elements from hardcore, metal, and power electronics to redefine darkness and sheer brutality. Distorted guitars, and ominous, disparate electronics grind and gnash against rapid-fire drumming, as the band take themes of religion, loss, hatred, and set them ablaze.

The Head And The Heart – Living Mirage CD/LP (WB)

Living Mirage is the fourth studio album from five-piece indie-folk act The Head And The Heart and follow-up to 2016’s Signs Of Light. After the release of their third LP, co-founder Josiah Johnson amicably left the group, with the band replacing the guitarist/vocalist with Charity Rose Thielen‘s husband, Matt Gervais. In the time since, longtime keyboardist Kenny Hensley has also returned to the fold. Appropriately, Living Mirage touches on these major changes, with bassist Chris Zasche describing the collection as a “rebirth, a spirit quest of sorts.” For lead single, “Missed Connection”, the group focuses in on the “anxiety that reasoned that growth spurt” following their recent lineup changes. Initially created as a tribute to Russell’s girlfriend and how they met, the song shifted to a reflection on the group’s history, meeting for an open-mic in Seattle ten years ago. Musically, the song infuses tastes of hip-hop and pop production. Elaborated drummer Tyler Williams, “A lot of the beats on this song are quicker, and there are high hats that were never in our music before.” [Limited indie-store exclusive vinyl pressing also available.]

Lucette – Deluxe Hotel Room CD (Rock Creek)

On her sophomore album Deluxe Hotel Room, indie-pop artist Lucette turns her title phrase into a metaphor for experiences both highly specific and widely familiar: fleeting romance, emotional displacement, isolation, the gulf between the presumed glamour of the artist’s life and the reality of getting by. Produced by Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Sturgill Simpson, Deluxe Hotel Room unfolds in endlessly contrasting layers of feeling and in keeping with a refusal to self-restrain, Lucette assembled a purposely iconoclastic sonic palette here. “A lot of the songs are very traditional in their roots, but Sturgill and I had this idea of producing them in a more pop-leaning way,” says Lucette, who grew up on ABBA and names Rihanna among her main inspirations. “There’s only one or two guitar tracks on the whole record, and instead of putting banjos or pedal steel all over the place, we did it up in a way that felt a lot more genuine to my upbringing and character.” Backed by Simpson’s touring band, Lucette embeds Deluxe Hotel Room with so many unexpected flourishes: brooding drum-machine beats, luminous synth lines, and – perhaps most strikingly – the soulful saxophone work of New Orleans musician Brad Walker.

The National – I Am Easy To Find CD/2xLP+MP3/3xLP”+MP3 (4AD)

In September 2017, director Mike Mills emailed Matt Berninger to introduce himself and in very short order, the most ambitious project of the National’s nearly 20-year career was born and plans for a hard-earned vacation died. The Los Angeles-based filmmaker was coming off his third feature, 20th Century Women, and was interested in working with the band on…something. A video maybe. Berninger, already a fan of Mills’ films, not only agreed to collaborate, he essentially handed over the keys to the band’s creative process. The result is I Am Easy To Find, a 24-minute film by Mills starring Alicia Vikander, and I Am Easy To Find, a 68-minute album by The National. The former is not the video for the latter; the latter is not the soundtrack to the former. The two projects are, as Mills calls them, “Playfully hostile siblings that love to steal from each other.” [Deluxe triple-vinyl edition pressed on opaque red, yellow, and grey colors. Sides A – D feature full album track list with Side E featuring the “I Am Easy To Find Original Film Score” with an etching on Side F.]

Ryan Pollie – Ryan Pollie CD/LP+MP3 (ANTI-)

Ryan Pollie never set out to make a cancer record. The Los Angeles songwriter penned most of his self-titled, self-produced album, his first under his own name, before he got sick. Inspired by the warm, inviting sounds of ’70s singer-songwriters like Jackson Browne, Carole King, and Graham Nash, Pollie already knew he wanted to make the most personal music of his career. He had released two albums as Los Angeles Police Department, and now he was ready to shed the protective barrier of his old band name – to make music, simply, as himself. Living through illness becomes just one chapter in a record that celebrates living in general, and all the difficulties and surprises that come with it. More than anything, Ryan Pollie’s self-titled release is a testament to the power of vulnerability – to the magic that happens when you open yourself up and invite the world inside, no matter how frightening or uncertain it may be.

Rammstein – Rammstein CD/2xLP (Caroline)

Rammstein’s eponymous seventh album marks the German industrial outfit’s first studio effort since 2009’s Liebe Ist Für Alle Da. Talking with Metal Hammer, guitarist Richard Kruspe discussed how the new album came to be: “We were talking about harmonies, how certain kinds of melodies can change things. Things we never really cared about in the beginning, but things that matter more now. It’s more interesting for me as a musician to see how the vocals fit into a song, and which melody fits in that.” In another recent interview with Metal Wani, Krupse also talked about the motivation behind the new record: “Every time people talk Rammstein, it’s about fire, it’s all about the show. Nobody talks about the music anymore for Rammstein and it kind of bothered me. I was thinking, ‘I want to do another record. It has to be musical in a way that can really stand out from other records.’ That was my goal, or our goal.” [Deluxe CD in 12-panel digipak with gloss varnish and 28-page booklet also available.]

Saint Vitus – Saint Vitus CD/LP (Season Of Mist)

Seven years after their epic comeback album, Lillie: F-65 (2012), legendary doom metal trailblazers Saint Vitus are back with their eponymous new album. The release sees the return of the band’s original vocalist, Scott Reagers, as well as the addition of new bassist Pat Bruders (Down, Crowbar), who join long-time drummer Henry Vasquez and founder/guitarist Dave Chandler. As if in a time machine, the seasoned quartet pick up where their 1985 classic Hallows Victim left off, delivering nothing less than the truest and most enduring representation of original and fundamental doom metal. [Limited indie-store exclusive vinyl pressing and deluxe digipak CD edition also available.]

CDs + Vinyl:

Abraxas – The Book Beri’ah Vol 5 – Gevurah CD (Tzadik)

Blending a punk rock sensibility with Sephardic tribalism via a taste of North African Gnawa magic, Abraxas is one of the most primal and rocking ensembles in the Masada family.

Agent Orange – Bloodstains CD/LP (Cleopatra)

Recently released on vinyl – now available on CD. New greatest hits compilation from one of the originators of the West Coast surf/punk scene.

Aseethe – Thrones CD/LP+MP3 (Thrill Jockey)

Aseethe’s Throes is a work of corrosive beauty and colossal weight. The trio of guitarist/vocalist Brian Barr, drummer Eric Diercks, and bassist/vocalist Noah Koester craft tectonic slabs of doom through minimalist approaches to composition.

Bethlehem – Lebe Dich Leer CD/LP (Prophecy)

Germany’s Bethlehem have shaped extreme music for the last 28 years as one of the forerunners of so-called depressive or suicidal black metal. Lebe Dich Leer (“empty yourself by living)” blends their classic type of black and death metal with influences from early wave and industrial. [Limited white colored vinyl pressing also available.]

One-part invading horde and all parts traveling carnival party, Black Label Society traverses the world powered by caffeine and cacophony. Originally recorded in 1997, Sonic Brew was “mastered with high volume, alcohol, and dance,” says frontman Zak Wylde. “We went in and worked off the existing performances and focused on the high volume and dance while replacing the booze with Viagra and anabolic steroids.”

Black Oak Arkansas – Underdog Heroes CD/LP (Purple Pyramid)

The southern rock underdogs return with their first full-length album of all new recordings in more than 30 years.

Marty Brown – American Highway CD (Plowboy)

An embrace of – and homage to – country music’s foundational genres. From gospel to blues to traditional country, rockabilly and beyond, Brown has pulled these various threads together and created a tightly woven new album.

A Certain Ratio –4xCD/7xLP (Mute)

acr:box marks the 40th anniversary of A Certain Ratio’s debut release – the Martin Hannett produced “All Night Party” (Factory Records’ first single release) – which was described recently by Record Collector as “a statement of future intentions: to set funk off against nervous angst.” They went on to be hailed universally as pioneers of what became known as “punk funk.” Following on from the 2018 compilation, acr:set, it showcases the diversity of the singles, B-sides and alternative versions of tracks that A Certain Ratio have released, but without repeating tracks recently made available.

Depraved Murderer – Manifestation CD (Comatose Music)

The second full-length album from Indonesia’s Depraved Murder expands upon their debut with a manner of continued aggression, brutality and outright auditory torment.

Dommengang – No Keys CD/LP+MP3 (Thrill Jockey)

Moving fluidly from muscular riffing to scorched-earth dirge to sweeping ballads, No Keys is a potent soundtrack to a personal journey of healing – or to your next road trip.

Dool – Love Like Blood CDEP/10” (Prophecy)

New three-track EP from the Dutch psychedelic rock band featuring their take on of Killing Joke’s “Love Like Blood”.

Dope KNife – Things Got Worse CD/LP (Brick)

Dope KNife is a Liberian-American MC/producer and self-described rap junkie.

One of the early producers in the retro-synth scene, Denmark’s Dynatron has been hailed as one of the most consistent composers in the scene for his pulsating and lofty atmospheres.

Endless Boogie – Vol. I II CD/2xLP (No Quarter)

CD and vinyl reissues of the long out-of-print debut albums by the ’60s influenced garage act. Volume I and Volume II were self-released in 2005 before the band’s inaugural trip overseas (to play the Slint-curated All Tomorrow’s Parties) – and for that matter, their first trip outside of New York.

Entombed – Clandestine: Live CD/2xLP (Threeman Recordings)

A unique Entombed experience with original members Nicke Andersson, Uffe Cederlund and Alex Hellid performing their second album Clandestine for the album’s 25th anniversary. [Limited green colored vinyl pressing also available.]

Epic Beard Men – This Was Supposed To Be Fun CD/LP+MP3 (Strange Famous)

An indie-rap tour de force by two of the underground’s best: Sage Francis and B. Dolan. This Was Supposed To Be Fun blends the classic sounds of breakbeats and timeless drum machines with soul grooves and sub bass.

Fauna – The Hunt [Reissue/2007] CD/2xLP (Prophecy/Lupus Lounge)

Fauna – Avifauna [Reissue/2012] CD/2xLP (Prophecy/Lupus Lounge)

Originators of Cascadian black metal, Fauna has made an incredibly deep imprint on the American metal scene. Utilizing both unrelenting black metal alongside periodic acoustic meditations, they stand as a truly unique force, impacting fellow artists Agalloch and directly influencing the development of Wolves In The Throne Room. [Limited colored vinyl pressings are also available.]

Pianist and composer Larry Fuller delivers another brilliant and swinging performance. Joining him on Overjoyed are two other jazz titans: Lewis Nash and Hassan Shakur. Fuller is a true and rare master of the joyful, swinging tradition – a mastery that can only be earned by collaborating with icons like mentor Ray Brown. This superb album includes original compositions by Fuller along with pieces by Stevie Wonder, Wes Montgomery, Oscar Peterson, George Gershwin and many others.

Fury – Failed Entertainment CD/LP (Run For Cover)

Recently released on vinyl – now available on CD. Second full-length effort from Orange County’s Fury. Failed Entertainment takes the band’s talent for soundtracking the human condition to a new, elevated plane – examining vast, philosophical inquiries throughout its eleven tracks.

Paul Gilbert – Behold Electric Guitar CD/2xLP (Music Theories)

Behold Electric Guitar was produced by legendary producer and engineer John Cuniberti (Joe Satriani) and features Roland Guerin on bass, Asher Fulero on keyboards and Bill Ray, Reinhardt Melz and Brian Foxworth on drums.

Haunt – If Icarus Could Fly CD/LP (Shadow Kingdom)

On their second album, Haunt has sharpened their attack with seemingly effortless ease: heavy and heartfelt, with an expressiveness that encapsulates everything that’s so engaging and enduring about traditional metal.

Dave Hause – Kick CD/LP (Rise)

A solid serving of meat-and-potatoes heartland anthems.

The Heavy – Sons CD/LP/LP+7” (BMG)

Welcome back to The Heavy, Britain’s most incendiary party-starters and reliably impossible to pigeonhole funk/soul/hip-hop/rock/dance gang. [Deluxe vinyl edition adds a bonus 7”.]

Holly Herndon – Proto CD/LP (4AD)

Holly’s third full-length album Proto isn’t about A.I., but much of it was created in collaboration with her own A.I. ‘baby’, Spawn. For the record, she assembled a contemporary ensemble of vocalists, developers and an inhuman intelligence housed in a DIY souped-up gaming PC to create a record that encompasses live vocal processing and timeless folk singing and places an emphasis on alien song craft and new forms of communion.

Interpol – A Fine Mess CDEP12”+MP3 (Matador)

Released on the heels of last year’s Maruader and recorded during time Interpol spent in upstate New York with Dave Fridmann, the five songs that make up A Fine Mess gradually emerged as a body of work with a narrative and flow unto itself. The resulting set is a living, breathing postcard from the band to their fans as they tour the world throughout 2019.

Institute – Readjusting The Locks CD/LP (Sacred Bones)

Third album from the NYC-via- Austin punks. Readjusting The Locks is the first Institute album written across the country, with half the band relocating from Texas to NYC. The band has seamlessly incorporates more ’77 rock ‘n’ roll into their sound, with some songs feeling like they could’ve been a Stiff Records single. This sound is emphasized by Ben Greenberg’s (Uniform) expert production – crisp but still blown out and dirty.

Carly Rae Jepsen – Dedicated CD (Interscope)

After dropping critically acclaimed singles “Now That I Found You” and “No Drug Like Me, multi-platinum Grammy, Juno, and Polaris Prize-nominated singer/songwriter Carly Rae Jepsen releases her album Dedicated. [Vinyl edition due July 12.]

Alex Lahey – The Best Of Luck Club CD/LP (Dead Oceans)

On her sophomore LP, 26-year-old Melbourne, Australia native Alex Lahey navigates the pangs of generational ennui with the pint half-full and a spot cleared on the bar stool next to her. Self-doubt, burn out, break-ups, mental health, moving in with her girlfriend, vibrators: The Best Of Luck Club showcases the universal language of Lahey’s sharp songwriting, her propensity for taking the minute details of the personal and flipping it public through anthemic pop-punk.

Lizzo – Cuz I Love You CD (Atlantic)

Cuz I Love You is the third studio album and major label debut by the rapper and singer. “The shiny soul-pop of Lizzo’s major label debut is something of a thesis on internalized and externalized confidence—so much so that the music can feel like a means to a greater end.” – Pitchfork

Lucy In Blue – In Flight CD/LP (Karisma)

The Icelandic rock/metal scene has been thriving the past years, but we haven’t seen too many psychedelic and progressive rock bands yet. So, let us introduce Lucy In Blue, a young quartet who really has made a great northern sounding blend inspired by the early work of Pink Floyd, King Crimson, Camel and the great psychedelic and progressive masters of the late ‘60s/early ‘70s.

The Explorer’s Edition of Paul McCartney’s recent Egypt Station adds a disc of album sessions including six live studio recordings as well as four live performances recorded at Abbey Road, The Cavern Club, LIPA, and Grand Central Station.

Musket Hawk – Upside Of Kick CDEP/12” (Unholy Anarchy)

New EP from the Baltimore sludge punk veterans.

Youssou Ndour – History CD (Naïve)

Senegal’s greatest living artist is back with a major album that subtly alternates between tradition and modernity. A marvel of balance between modern sounds and his African roots, History is an album with variety and eclecticism.

Tom Nehls – I Always Catch The Third Second Of A Yellow Light [Reissue/1972] 2xCD/2xLP (Now Again)

I Always Catch The Third Second Of A Yellow Light is a rock concept album, as progressive as it is psychedelic, recorded by a 17-year-old Tom Nehls and his high school friends in Minneapolis over a three month period in late 1972. Nehls described his influences as The Beatles, Zappa, and Tolkien. But that amalgamation cannot prepare you for the depths that this wunderkind explored with first-time engineer Paul Stark, who later founded Twin/Tone Records. Of the 1,000 copies that were privately pressed, only 100 survived a flood in Nehls’ basement and are highly collectable. This expanded reissue features six bonus tracks.

Olden Yolk – Living Theatre CD/LP (Trouble In Mind)

The musical duo of Shane Butler & Caity Shaffer released their debut album as Olden Yolk last year, an alluring concoction of hypnagogic folk and kosmiche rhythms, expanding and refining Butler’s work in his former band Quilt toward a more focused direction. Musically, the duo’s songwriting has gelled into a unified front, relying more on the subtle shifts of melody and rhythm than a barrage of chord changes; Living Theatre‘s hooks lap at your feet like a babbling brook, rather than bowl you over like violent waves.

Paladin – Ascension CD/LP (Prosthetic)

Fast, melodic, and technical, Atlanta, GA’s Paladin is on a mission to bring some European flavor to the US metal scene and beyond. The foursome blends soaring vocals, harsh rasps, catchy melodies, and fiery guitar work reminiscent of the ’80s to create their own brand of thrashy power metal.

Perpetual Groove – Perpetual Groove CD/LP (Harmonized)

New album from the jam band – their first since 2009’s Heal. [Limited green colored vinyl pressing also available.]

Noah Preminger – After Life CD (Criss Cross)

In his program notes to his second Criss Cross album, After Life, master tenor saxophonist Noah Preminger writes that, as per the title, the seven original songs “pertain to a world that we may inhabit when we leave Earth.”

Rosetta Stone – Seems Like Forever CD/LP (Cleopatra)

First new album in nearly two decades from the British goth band.

Stubbleman – Mountains & Plains CD/LP (Made To Measure)

Stubbleman is the alter-ego of maverick composer and producer Pascal Gabriel. From humble origins in a Belgian punk band, Pascal moved to London in 1979 to form a string of art-school experimental bands, until he discovered the joys of the recording studio and gained recognition as an innovative producer and songwriter. After many years in the wilderness of pop, Pascal has re-embraced his adventurous electronic ambient past with a project combining a lo-fi, cinematic mixture of found sounds, field recordings and modular synthesizers, often accompanied by live piano.

Joan Shaw Taylor – Reckless Heart CD/LP (Sony)

Having famous fans such as Joe Bonnamassa and Glen Hughes and being described by Jools Holland as a dazzling talent, it’s hard to deny that Joanne Shaw Taylor has certainly mastered her craft and become one of the world’s most formidable guitar players.

Mark Turner/Gary Foster – Mark Turner Meets Gary Foster CD (Capri)

This live concert from 2003 brings together four giants in jazz for an evening of tribute to Lee Konitz, Warne Marsh and Lennie Tristano. Mark Turner’s tenor sax and Gary Foster’s alto sax carry the melodies with no chordal instruments, relying purely on the rhythmic backing of Putter Smith’s bass and Joe La Barbara’s drums.

Commemorating its 15th anniversary, Umphrey’s McGee present an expanded edition of Anchor Drops (including its first ever-vinyl pressing). This redux edition features two distinct versions of the record: a remastered version of the original mix and a completely remixed version from the original master tapes.

Valborg – Zentrum CD/LP (Prophecy)

Valborg are undisputed masters of sophisticated primitivism. In the course of six albums, the Germans have been cherished by the likes of metal pioneer Tom G. Warrior (Celtic Frost/Triptykon) for their exceptional uniquess, and now Zentrum (“Center”) combines the best of its two predecessors, the atmospheric depth of Romantik (2015) and the rawness of Endstrand (2017).

Vale Of Pnath –II [Reissue/2016] LP (Willowtip)

Vale Of Pnath – Accursed CD/LP (Willowtip)

The band’s second EP following two full lengths (2011’s The Prodigal Empire and 2016’s II), Accursed is fueled with tech death adrenaline and shrouded in black metal’s iniquitous aura.

Various Artists – Cold War Countdown: Country Music Goes To War 1952-1972 CD (Omni)

Recently released on vinyl – now available on CD. 30 tempestuous tirades of Red-Scare Pinko-Subversion, Iron Curtain-Clad Simian Freedom Fighters, Bearded Despots, Flower Power Fall-Out, the War Wizened, the Walking Wounded and Heart-Wrenching Fallen Heroes.

A follow up collaboration between Mikey Young (Total Control/Eddy Suppression Ring) and Keith Abrahamsson (Head of A&R at Anthology Recordings) to their 2017 compilation Follow The Sun, Sad About The Times, at its core, is a set of North American ‘70s jammers. With a hint (at times) of West Coast jangle, these tracks traverse the border between the power pop of the times and a late-night coke jam. You can also hear echoes of folk rock, soft rock, and even detect some psychedelic flashbacks.

Jimmie Vaughan – Baby, Please Come Home CD/LP (Last Music Company)

Texas guitarist/singer Jimmie Vaughan has dedicated his life to making sure the blues not only stay alive but remain full of life and an inspiration to all who listen. His first studio album since 2011, Baby, Please Come Home is a rolling and righteous celebration of everything the blues can be. [Limited gold colored vinyl pressing also available.]

Dionne Warwick – She’s Back 2xCD (E1)

New release from the iconic vocalist. She’s Back is Warwick’s 36th full-length studio recording, and her first dedicated R&B/soul album in 50 years.

John Zorn – The Hierophant CD (Tzadik)

The Hierophant is a spectacular new suite of Zorn compositions drawing inspiration from the mystic world of the Tarot. Scored for classic jazz piano trio, the music is powerful and varied, hitting upon a wide range of styles, emotions and moods.

Deluxe, first-ever vinyl edition of Acid Mothers Temple’s classic self-titled first album. Over the last 25 years no group has been more prolific or dedicated to pushing psychedelic rock to its limits than Japan’s Acid Mothers Temple. Their maximalist technicolor vision was first revealed on this, their now legendary 1997 debut.

Undoubtedly one of the central figures of 1960s/70s Italian film music, Alessandro Alessandroni defined the very essence of the genre with his vocal group, I Cantori Moderni. Renowned for his pioneering reverb guitar sound, sitar exploration and a phenomenal whistling technique, (Perhaps best known for his contribution in shaping the famous Spaghetti Western sound) Alessandroni’s vast and innovative contribution to Italian soundtracks is unparalleled. One of the most desired sessions (and reported to be his own favorite recording) is Prisma Sonoro, a mythical library LP issued as a micro press for the highly collectable Sermi label.

The All Saved Freak Band’s unique sound stemmed from its ensemble of 12 members skilled in rock, folk, blues, psychedelia, and classical music. ASFB blended those genres and sounds together to deliver straight, unvarnished, lyrical truth which countered the hedonism purveyed by much of rock ‘n’ roll. Their bold sound and stellar chops inspired and influenced a cult following among vinyl heads and musicians alike, being name-dropped particularly by artists like Dan Auerbach (of the Black Keys) and Damien Jurado.

Automelodi – Mirages Au Futur Verre-brise LP (Holodeck)

Brilliantly combining the art of sound design with unforgettable songwriting, Montréal-based synth-pop duo Automelodi is back with their third full-length. As an established and respected staple of the international community of underground hardware enthusiasts, Automelodi is led by the inspiring studio engineering and magnetic persona of singer/producer Xavier Paradis. Showcasing his master ability to design infectious rhythms, rich bass lines, and brooding hooks, Automelodi expertly crafts a listlessly romantic aesthetic embodied by Paradis’ dynamic voice and eloquent French lyrics.

Avatar – The King Live In Paris LP (E1)

Swedish metallers Avatar’s first live album The King Live In Paris was recorded at the Download Festival last year.

Bob Bell – Necropolis [Reissue/1978] LP (Telephone Explosion)

Canadian private press mega-rarity/ obscurity from the artistically schizophrenic Bob Bell. Recorded in 1978, Bell splits the difference between his love of basement psych splatter/pummel and squalling free jazz ramble, the former occupying Side A with a stunning four-part suite of wasted guitar scuzz and churning Krautrock-like drama with an akin to German Oak, Roland Kirk, Albert Ayler, DNA, Melt Banana (minus the vocals) and Guru Guru. The latter represents Bell as a saxophonist on Side B, and the music itself translates into a 15-minute free-jazz exploration.

An ode to the Lovecraftian lore of Shub Niggurath, Black Goat Of The Woods was conceived as “the soundtrack from some lost low budget horror movie, rediscovered on an old and faded VHS cassette found moldering in a deserted house in the depths of the woods.” An excellent, macabre and somewhat psychedelic release that spans many genres in its 40-minute playing time, the album pays perfect homage to the dark denizen of the nocturnal glades and is a true paean to backwoods horror.

Recorded in January of 1969 in David’s flat in Clareville Grove, London, this live to tape demo session features David performing as a duo with John ‘Hutch’ Hutchinson following the end of the Feathers trio which featured David’s then girlfriend Hermione Farthingale.

Jon Bryant – Cult Classic LP (Nettwerk)

In 2015, Jon Bryant joined a cult. His short-lived time in this cult would inspire the concept of his new album, Cult Classic. “After hearing awful stories of people’s experiences with the organization, I finally cut ties.” Reclaiming his independence, Bryant penned tunes everywhere from Nova Scotia and Vancouver to Seattle, Los Angeles, and Australia. He also rediscovered formative influences ranging from Jeff Buckley and The Police to Shuggie Otis and Michael McDonald, Massive Attack and The Smiths to Hall & Oates to Chris Isaac. [CD edition due June 7.]

In 2012, the Dutch masters of horror Carach Angren took us to the hell of war with their mind blowing third full-length, Where The Corpses Sink Forever, which found the trio creating dark musical portraits of supernatural landscapes.

Betty Carter – The Music Never Stops LP (Blue Engine)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. This live performance at New York’s Aaron Davis Hall was recorded in 1992, six years before Carter’s untimely passing and during the early days of Jazz At Lincoln Center. The Music Never Stops marks Carter’s first posthumous album as well as the artist’s first release composed entirely of previously unheard material in 22 years.

Chris Carter – Archival Recordings 1973-1977 LP (Mute)

13 tracks that Chris found in his archive from years before he formed Throbbing Gristle with Cosey, Sleazy and Genesis. They show a young mind curious about electronic sound and melody, yet sound like a fully formed album that should never have been left in the archive for 40+ years. [Originally only available in the Miscellany vinyl box set released in last year.]

Com Truise – Persuasion System LP+MP3 (Ghostly Int’l)

For nearly a decade the story of Com Truise has relied on science fiction and abstract fact. Seth Haley’s singular style of melodic beat music subsists as hazy machinist nostalgia, a mainframe downloaded cosmology. Yet with each release, alongside sonic refinement, comes an increasingly visible vapor trail to Haley’s own ontology. [CD edition due May 24.]

The Congos – Back In The Black Ark [Reissue/2009] 2xLP (Utopia)

Recorded more than 30 after the fabulous Heart Of The Congos (classified among the 10 best reggae of all-time), The Congos reteamed-up with Lee Scratch Perry in Jamaica to record their last album.

The Damned Things – High Crimes LP (Nuclear Blast)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Nine years ago, Scott Ian – guitarist and co-founder of the legendary thrash metal outfit, Anthrax – took a meeting with Joe Trohman (guitarist and co-founder of Fall Out Boy). Sharing a love for Thin Lizzy and catchy, dirty rock ‘n’ roll, Joe and Scott hit it off and started making songs together. With the help of drummer Andy Hurley (Fall Out Boy) and the sensual yet sardonically irreverent vocals of Keith Buckley (Every Time I Die) The Damned Things were formed. The band’s well-received debut album Ironiclast was issued in 2010. Cut to nine years later and the band (now with the Alkaline Trio’s Dan Andriano on bass) returns with its Jay Ruson-produced follow-up High Crimes.

Alan Parker/John Cameron ‎– Afro Rock [Reissue/1973] LP (Be With)

Hard Afro pop featuring large percussive rhythm section and front line. One of the best-loved of all the KPM LPs.

Death Breath – Stinking Up The Night [Reissue/2006] LP (Black Lodge)

Death Breath is a Swedish death metal band featuring original Nihilist/Entombed member Nicke Andersson on drums and guitar. Their sole album is back in-print on vinyl.

Death Valley Girls – Glow In The Dark [Reissue/2016] LP (Burger)

Limited green colored vinyl LP pressing. At the core of Death Valley Girls, vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Bonnie Bloomgarden and guitarist Larry Schemel channel a modern spin on Funhouse’s sonic exorcisms, ZZ Top’s desert-blasted riffage, and Sabbath’s occult menace. On their third album Darkness Rains, Death Valley Girls churn out the hyper-charged scuzzy rock every generation yearns for, but there is a more subversive force percolating beneath the surface that imbues the band with an exhilarating cosmic energy.

Electric Boys – Gone Gone Gone 12” (Mighty Music)

New six-track EP from the Swedish hard rock visionaries.

Ekiti Sound – Abeg No Vex 2xLP (Crammed Disc)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Spearheading a new wave of electronic music originating from Nigeria by way of London, musician/producer/vocalist Leke aka CHiF has been travelling back and forth between his two cities, Lagos and London, continually seeking ways to explore and push the musical boundaries. After honing his skills with a variety of artists and productions on both continents, Leke has assembled Ekiti Sound, an impressively eclectic project that speaks to Afropunkers and global diaspora.

Exile One ‎– Exile One [Reissue/1974] LP (Tidal Waves)

Mixing funk, reggae, calypso and Afro-Caribbean fusion in their set, Exile One performed a popular repertoire that was deeply influenced by ‘60s soul music and bands like Osibisa and Earth, Wind And Fire. Because French Antillean audiences wanted to dance instead of just watch a concert, the band Creolized their repertoire by introducing a mix of Haitian and Calypso music styles in combination with a full horn section and modern instruments like synths.

Foxy Shazam – Foxy Shazam [Reissue/2010] LP (Enjoy The Ride)

Limited red/white colored vinyl LP pressing of the third studio album by the Cincinnati, OH rock band.

Harry Pussy – Ride A Dove [Reissue/1996] LP (Palilalia)

Vinyl reissue of Harry Pussy’s Ride A Dove, originally released on Siltbreeze in 1996. By 1996, with one LP, a handful of 7”s and a couple dozen gigs under their collective belts, Harry Pussy had thoroughly scrambled the mid- ‘90s scuzz-rock ecosystem. Their acclaimed eponymous 1993 LP, described by David Keenan as “a black hole that devoured genre and flattened any attempt to classify it,” fused Japanese noise, ’80s hardcore and post-Ayler jazz into a dense, white-hot ball of punk anger and insanity.

Gruppo Improvvisazione Nuova Consonanza ‎– Niente LP (Roundtable)

Founded in Rome in 1964, ‘Il Gruppo D’Improvvisazione Nuova Consonanza’ was a collective of noted and noteworthy composers who challenged the very structure and performance of music itself. In 1970 Il Gruppo (as ‘The Group’) recorded The Feed-back (for RCA Italy), an insane amalgam of avant-improvisation and motorik Krautrock-influenced beats that understandably has become one of the most collectable library music related LPs ever issued. In 1971 Il Gruppo returned to the studio to record a sequel. This is that record.

Impiety – Dominator [Reissue/2008] LP (Agonia)

Vinyl reissue of a disgusting and dirty mini-album from Singapore’s black-death-thrash gods. Raw and essential blackened-thrash rips through Dominator with influences that come directly from South American bands (Sarcofago mostly).

Infernal War – Redesekration: The Gospel Of Hatred And Apotheosis Of Genocide [Reissue/2007] LP (Agonia)

Murderous black death metal for fans of Angelcorpse and Marduk.

The Juan Maclean – What Do You Feel Free About b/w Zone Nonlinear 12” (DFA)

The Juan Maclean returns to DFA with a new 12” – last June’s electro-disco “What Do You Feel Free About?” backed with “Zone Non Linear”, which evokes early Pet Shop Boys.

Makoto Kawashima – Homo Sacer LP (Black Editions)

Makoto Kawashima was born in Saitama, a prefecture of the Greater Tokyo Area, in 1981. He picked up the alto saxophone in 2008 and started playing solo in 2010. He is the founder of the Homosacer (Sacredhuman) label. Homo Sacer was originally released in 2015. It was Kawashima’s second solo release and his first full-length album and was recorded live during a heavy rainstorm at the gallery and café Yamanekoken in Iruma, Saitama.

Kero Kero Bonito – Swimming b/w The Open Road 7” (Polyvinyl)

Swimming is taken from the band’s standout album, Time ‘n’ Place. “The Open Road” is taken from the sessions for the same album, but is previously unreleased. Limited colored vinyl pressing.

Cory Kilduff ‎– When It All Gets To Be Too Much LP (Burning Of Witches)

Growing up in the 1980s Dallas suburbs, Cory Kilduff was all about pushing the boundaries. Specifically, the boundaries of which videos his parents would let him rent each weekend. Escaping into equal parts sci-fi (Tron, Alien), outcast teen classics (Gleaming The Cube, The Breakfast Club), and cult classics (Beat Street, Rad), his range was eclectic and loaded with soundtracks that transitioned him easily into an interest in music. Now, Cory has been creatively supported in composing and completing a new passion project paying homage to John Hughes’ flame-haired muse, Molly Ringwald.

Gordon Koang – Mal Mi Goa/Salaam 12” (Music In Exile)

Gordon Koang Duoth is a Neur speaker and musician hailing from the Upper Nile region of what is now South Sudan. Accompanied by his cousin Paul Biel, Gordon performs a blend of traditional Neur rhythms and original compositions in English, Arabic, and his native language, Neur.

Nick Lowe – Love Starvation/Trombone 12”+MP3 (Yep Roc)

As he approaches his 70th birthday, it’s incredible that Nick Lowe hasn’t lost a step in his unrivaled songwriting and rockin’ abilities. His new four song EP, Love Starvation/Trombone, features the razor-sharp lyricism that he’s made so famous and is complemented by the returning dulcet tones of his backing band and tour mates Los Straitjackets.

MC Lars – The Zombie Dinosaur [Reissue/2015] LP (Oglio)

MC Lars – The Jeff Sessions [Reissue/2017] LP (Oglio)

MC Lars has released four albums, four EPs, three collaborative releases, and seven mix tapes. The Zombie Dinosaur LP is MC Lars’ fourth full length album, originally released on Nov 6, 2015. Jeff Sessions is MC Lars’ seventh full length mixtape, originally released on July 17, 2017, and previously only available on CD and digital services. Both are now available on limited colored vinyl.

Meitei – Komachi LP (Metron)

Debut album from the Japanese composer. Meitei considers himself an old soul, often preoccupied with the customs and rituals of the past. His music and art is driven by a desire to cast light on an era and aesthetic that he believes is drifting out of the collective Japanese consciousness with each passing generation, what he calls the lost Japanese mood. Haunting and delicate, distant and timeless, Komachi is awash with white noise, complex field recordings and the hypnotic sounds of flowing water.

Minor Poet – The Good News LP+MP3 (Sub Pop)

In just 22 minutes, the songs on Good News take apart the standard formulas of guitar-based rock and infuse them with vibrance and energy. On opener “Tabula Rasa”, interlocking guitars and a Farfisa organ carry the song through until everything drops suddenly into a doo-wop section that wouldn’t be out of place on a 1950s greatest hits compilation. Warped noise envelops a tropicalia-flavored Casio beat in “Tropic Of Cancer” before a slick groove and sliding bass line lead into the chorus’ pure pop bliss of of horns and vocal harmonies.

Murg – Stravan LP (Nordvis)

The third album of the anonymous Swedish black metal duo finalizes the trilogy begun in 2015 with the debut album Varg och Björn (Wolf and Bear) and was continued with Gudatall (Godpine). [CD edition due May 24.]

Nale – Ghost Road Blues LP (Black Lodge)

With a vicious blend of metal in the likes of Panera and the Haunted with the fast-paced rock of Danko Jones and a punk fueled in-your-face attitude of Motörhead, Nale deliver a high octane album with massive drive, heavy riffs, brutal vocals and groove.

Nectar – For Victory LP (Dispatch Department)

Authentic while not being a call back to false nostalgia, Nectar’s sound recalls the Muffs, Blake Babies, and Cub.

Michael O’Shea – Michael O’Shea [Reissue/1982] LP (AllChival)

Michael O’Shea’s self-titled LP was originally released on Wire’s Dome Imprint in 1982. Having sold his instruments to fund a nomadic 1970s lifestyle, eccentric Irish experimentalist Michael O’Shea was forced to create his own handmade answer to the sitars and zelochords he’d become accustomed to playing on his travels around the globe. Using an old door, 17 strings, chopsticks and combining them with phasers, echo units and amplification, the new device was to become his signature sound, mixing Irish folk influences with Asian and North African sounds in a mesmerizing and soulful new way that brought him to the attention of the leading improvisers of his day – Alice Coltrane, Ravi Shankar, Don Cherry and more.

Osiah – Kingdom Of Lies LP (Unique Leader)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. 11 tracks of crushing, merciless, and vicious deathcore.

Pregnant Women – Soft Features LP (Ghost Ramp)

Debut LP from the solo project of So Stressed frontman Morgan Fox. Trading in spastic, violent noise-rock for electronic-driven pop music, Fox has carved out a gorgeous collection of love songs. Drawing inspiration from Aphex Twin, Passion Pit, and a new relationship, Pregnant Women enters a hazy dream-world of love and longing.

Psychedelic Speed Freaks – Psychedelic Speed Freaks LP (Black Lodge)

Psychedelic Speed Freaks is a new power trio led by Munehiro Narita, founding member of Japan’s legendary High Rise and easily one of the wildest, most original guitarists in rock history. Blazing in total hyper-saturated glory, Psychedelic Speed Freaks centers on the raw, unrelenting attack of Narita’s motorcycle fuzztone guitar and a rhythm section driven by a pair of untamed L.A. acid punks.

Adele Sebastian was an Afro American jazz flutist and singer, active from the early ‘70s (when she was still a teenager) until her untimely death at the age of 27 in 1983 from a kidney failure.

Silence – Silent Meditations LP (Great Success Ent)

Two side-long tracks of silence. This was a father-son Kickstarer that took off, passing 900% of it original goal with backers from a dozen countries. It’s a serious project, and in it’s seriousness we also hope it creates some levity. The record is a reminder that silence is valuable, and it can be enjoyed. To purchase a record and play a silent meditation is intentionally humorous. Silence, like meditation, can feel severe, even punitive. Having a silent record might remind you that’s not always the case.

Siskiyou – Not Somewhere LP+MP3 (Constellation)

A return to form by band leader Colin Huebert (ex-Great Lake Swimmers), his first new work since 2015’s Polaris-nominated Nervous, harkening back to the whispered, textural, bedroom indie-folk of Siskiyou’s acclaimed 2010 debut. Huebert self-recorded and played almost everything himself, with contributions from guest musicians including cellist and labelmate Rebecca Foon (Saltland, Esmerine) and Destroyer regulars Joseph Shabason and JP Carter on horns and woodwinds.

Alex Somers/Sigur Rós – Black Mirror: Hang The DJ (OST) LP (Invada)

Late last year Sigur Rós producer and frequent collaborator Alex Somers hooked up with the band once again to deliver original music for “Hang The DJ”, one of the flagship episodes of the most recent Black Mirror series. Now his acclaimed score for the Netflix program, as well as two new songs made in collaboration with Sigur Rós for the program, are available on vinyl.

Southern Avenue – Keep On LP (Concord)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Named after the street that led to Soulsville, USA, Memphis-bred rock and blues outfit Southern Avenue burst onto the scene with their acclaimed debut in 2017. The boundary-breaking combo sparked a one-band musical revolution, embodying an effortlessly organic blues/soul/R&B fusion that reflects the band’s international roots. On the album Keep On, the band does exactly that, never letting up with a churning blend of horns, gospel-tinged harmonies, and a rhythm section that would make any southern soul icon proud. It’s a return of the Memphis sound – a gritty, funky mojo – ringing once again down Southern Avenue.

Tan Mom feat. Adam Barta – Free 2 Be Me b/w It’s Tan Mom 12” (Wargod)

Limited vinyl pressing of this single from the infamous ‘Tan Mom’ (real name: Patricia Marie Krentci) and her collaborator Adam Barta. The song has been continuously featured on The Howard Stern Show. Tan Mom is a known member of Stern’s Wack Packer gang.

Joanne Shaw Taylor – Reckless Heart LP (Sony/Silvertone)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Having famous fans such as Joe Bonnamassa and Glen Hughes and being described by Jools Holland as a dazzling talent, it’s hard to deny that Joanne Shaw Taylor has certainly mastered her craft and become one of the world’s most formidable guitar players.

Tiny Holes – City Of Siege: Olympia LP (K. Records)

Tiny Holes is the avant-new wave-dance super group you never heard of. These future legends of independent music skirted the fine line between obscurity and nothingness, producing a small, effective body of cheeky noise. 35+ years later, Seattle uber-producer Jack Endino, who mixed and mastered the album, says the whole thing is impossibly brilliant.

Tsunami Bomb – The Ultimate Escape [Reissue/2002] LP (Kung Fu)

Limited red colored vinyl reissue of the debut album by the Petaluma CA pop punk outfit.

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. On the heels of their latest studio album Weezer (The Black Album) the veteran alt-rock band delivers a covers album. “As anyone could have gathered after a first listen of ‘Africa’ or ‘Rosanna’, the latter of which is sorely missing on this compilation, the band doesn’t just half-ass the cover; they meticulously replicate each song with Fincher-like obsession. Sure, they’re not exactly offering their own spin on it, but that’s also kind of the point. The fact that these covers are so reverent to the source materials kind of plays into the joke that Cuomo is literally givin’ em what they want with no room for error. It’s like live band karaoke, and everyone is invited, which is all this really boils down to at the end of the day. They’re not reinventing the wheel; they’re using it.” – Consequence Of Sound